Mackenzie Boyd

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and cognitive impairment (CRCI) are two of the most common symptoms of cancer survivors that negatively affect their quality of life. This study assesses the feasibility of conducting an online exercise study examining the relationship between acute exercise, CRF, and CRCI in breast cancer survivors. This feasibility study will help identify barriers to recruitment and retention, determine the acceptability of an acute bout of moderate intensity aerobic exercise for breast cancer survivors, and provide data for use in designing a subsequent randomized, controlled, repeated measures, online crossover study that is sufficiently powered to examine efficacy. The long-term goal of this research is to create and test a method of investigation into the use of acute exercise as a strategy to provide immediate therapeutic relief from CRF and CRCI, thus improving quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Using the online platform Gorilla, this study has a randomized, crossover, control design that consists of questionnaires, an exercise and control condition, and cognitive games. This study is currently recruiting participants. Future directions include fine-tuning the current study to create more refined studies and conducting a subsequent efficacy trial.